Microarray genetic testing

cooperme2871

Has anyone done this? Our neurologist requested it, and said it's very expensive. Our insurance requires it be authorized first. I'm just wondering what the test looks at, and if it's just bloodwork or not. I'm waiting on a call back from the doctor to see if he's authorized it or not, but thought I would ask here.

Hiccup15

DS2 had it done at 10 months old. There was blood work involved but he gets blood draws every 3 months so we just scheduled it at that time and it wasn't bad at all. It is very expensive. Our insurance covered 80% and I think it ended up being $400-$500 for us after insurance. 

ToastieSimons

It is only a blood draw.  It was very expensive, but we had hit our out of pocket max in the NICU so we didn't pay for it.

I think it took about 2-3 weeks to come back. Basically it looks at each individual chromosome in smaller pieces to see if there is anything missing or extra or moved.

A karyotype is like a far away picture of chromosomes.  You're only going to see if there are major duplications or deletions or translocations.  Like Down Syndrome (there are 3 copies of chromosome 21)

A microarray is the same picture but zoomed in a bit closer.  you'll see if parts of the chromosome have extra pieces, are missing pieces, are mutated.  

Then you have even more specific tests.  Like the XLID panel which takes the X-Chromosome and breaks it into all 96 genes and tests all the genes for mutations, deletions and duplications.

Junebug060609

Based on the above description, the testing we had done on our son was microarray. Ours was covered 100% by insurance. It was a blood draw.

Based on the prices mentioned above I'm thinking if DH and I are gonna be tested we best do it before our insurance changes. Yikes to those prices!

1+tripsmom

We got denied for this testing. We are working to see what we can do.

kcisthebombdotcom

We got it authorized and insurance covered 100%.

EmAre

My daughter's microarray was considered "medically necessary" and therefore covered in full by her insurance. After we learned of her deletion, we enrolled her in a research study that solely focuses on her deletion. The testing to see if DD's genetic change was inherited or de novo was covered by the study for my husband and myself.

CaptainSerious

We did it, and it was covered by insurance. In our case, it wasn't helpful in diagnosis, but did tell us some interesting things about our son's (who was adopted) background.